I Shall Know How to Act
by I found my Mr. Darcy
Summary: Created for the July/August playground challenge, Outrageously Out of Canon Characters at AHA. What if Lady C came to Longbourn determined not to break an engagement, but to help plan a wedding? One shot.


**The characters of Pride and Prejudice do not belong to me. If this sound suspiciously like something Jane wrote, it would be because I lifted much of the text directly from canon.**

* * *

 _"ONE morning, about a week after Bingley's engagement with Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sound of a carriage; and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open and their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh._

 _…As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: -" (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56)_

"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."

Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.

"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."

"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in irritation, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however coy you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most delightful nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Knowing this to be the successful result of my own efforts, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might be of assistance to you."

"Impossible, your ladyship!" said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far based on what must surely be idle gossip. What could your ladyship propose by it?"

"At once to insist upon having my say in the arrangements. I am most determined to be of use and I am certain your family cannot know what is expected for weddings in our circle."

"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth with no little discomfort, "seems rather precipitous. I wonder that you did not seek to confirm your information first; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."

"If! Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been celebrated and announced by yourselves? Do you not know that the report of your felicity is spread abroad?"

"I never heard that it was."

"And do you likewise declare, that there is no foundation for it?"

"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer." Elizabeth was thoroughly confused. What could Lady Catherine be about?

"This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"

"You have already declared it to be true."

"He should have done; he must have done, if he retains the use of his reason. He has resisted the arts and allurements of so many who, in a moment of infatuation, have tried to make him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. _You_ are different. _You_ are his match!"

"If that is true, I am the last person to know it."

"Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns, particularly on an occasion such as this."

"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induce me to be explicit."

"Let me be rightly understood. This match, which you have the presumption to deny, must take place. Yes, and soon. It is universally known that you are engaged to my nephew. Now what have you to say?"

"Only this; that if the rumour is true, you can have no reason to suppose I would be so senseless as to deny it."

Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment, and then replied,

"The engagement has been of my own design. From the time of your arrival in Kent, I knew you were intended for each other. It became my favourite wish. He should have been meant for my own daughter, but Anne is too frail to be a wife. Had she her health, she would be much like you and their union would have been widely celebrated. But it was not to be. So I began to plan your union. I suffered the company of my ridiculous parson so I might come to know you better. I tested you to see if you could withstand the drawing rooms of town. You were magnificent. When my nephew arrived I encouraged him to walk out in the mornings and directed him to your favourite paths. I bade him visit you at the parsonage, though I confess I did so as much for my own convenience as his. A very little of my parson's company is quite sufficient no matter how pleasant his wife. I could not always be entertaining him at Rosings. It was evident to all that my nephew was smitten with you! And now, at the moment when my fondest wishes would be accomplished in your marriage, am I to be gainsaid by the stubborn denials of an impertinent young woman, with no knowledge of the world, and wholly unconcerned with her own good fortune! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends and yours? To the damage of a broken engagement? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from our first encounter he was destined for you?"

"Yes, I have heard you quite clearly. But what are your declarations to me? If there is no other foundation for our supposed engagement, I shall certainly not be forced into acknowledging it by knowing that his aunt wished him to marry me. You did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination bound to me. He is a man grown and free to make his own choice choice? And I am not that choice, why can you not accept that?"

"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by even your family or friends, if you wilfully act to break your engagement. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with you. Your reputation will be in disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by many."

"These are heavy misfortunes," replied Elizabeth. "But the innocent victim of senseless gossip must have so much truth and honour attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine. Other scandals will break and hers will be forgotten."

"Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment."

"That will make your ladyship's situation at present more pitiable; but it will have no effect on me."

"I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence. You and my nephew are formed for each other. Both of your fathers are from respectable, honourable, and ancient - though untitled - families. His fortune is splendid and more than sufficient to compensate for what you lack. Where he is reticent, you are vivacious. By your ease and liveliness, his mind will be softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, you shall receive benefit of greater importance. You are destined for each other by the very voice of reason; and what is to divide you? The blind insistence of your own denial. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to so easily surrender this opportunity."

"I cannot surrender what does not exist, your ladyship! I must say I am astonished at your support of such an unequal marriage. You who value the preservation of rank among all things must surely think I should remain in my own sphere."

"In marrying my nephew, I should not consider you as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; you are a gentleman's daughter; so far you are equal."

"True. I am a gentleman's daughter. But what of my mother? What of my uncles and aunts? I do not imagine you ignorant of their condition."

"Whatever your connections may be," said Lady Catherine, "if I do not object to them, no one shall. Now, tell me once for all, are you engaged to him?"

Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation,

"I am not."

Lady Catherine seemed displeased.

"And are you determined never to enter into such an engagement?"

Elizabeth coloured and looked away. To hear Lady Catherine argue in her favour, to know that great lady had done all she could to promote an engagement to her nephew was more than she could bear and she found herself admitting the truth, "I have already rejected his offer," she cried.

"Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. Do you mean to tell me my nephew has made you an offer of marriage that you have declined? Impossible! You cannot be so lost to reason! Do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I will assist with the planning of this wedding! I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require."

"And I certainly never shall give it. I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot promise something so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry me; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make the marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to still be attached to me, why would he offer his hand once it had been so cruelly rejected? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken your nephew's character, if you think he would expose himself in such a manner. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject." Elizabeth was truly distressed. Could Lady Catherine not see that no matter the wishes of her heart, an engagement to Mr. Darcy was in every way impossible?

"Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the reasons I have already presented, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expense of my nephew. If he is not meant for you why would he make such a girl his sister? Why would he allow her husband, who is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth! - of what are you thinking? Are you completely senseless?"

Elizabeth was silent for several moments, then rose as she spoke. "No!" She declared vehemently. "Your ladyship must be mistaken. Your nephew cannot have done what you say! He would not! I cannot hear any more of this. I must beg to return to the house." Surely Lady Catherine was in error! Why would Mr. Darcy do such a thing? Unless…

Lady Catherine rose also, and they turned back. Her ladyship was highly agitated.

"You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Ridiculous, thoughtless girl! Do you not consider that a connection between you must be commended in the eyes of all your acquaintance?"

"Lady Catherine, I have nothing farther to say. You know my sentiments."

"You are resolved then to reject him?"

"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, whatever of that I might still salvage." Elizabeth wiped angry tears from her eyes.

"Do you love him?"

"Please, your ladyship. I beg you, do not make me speak of it."

Lady Catherine softened. "You fear he will reject you."

"His sense of duty and honour must forbid the renewal of his attentions, madam. I should not expect him to risk the resentment of his friends or the indignation of the world by connecting himself to such a scandalous family. And I will not torture myself with false hope."

"Neither duty, nor honour," replied Lady Catherine, "have any possible claim on him, in the present instance. No principle of either would be violated by your marriage with my nephew. And with regard to the resentment of his friends, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying you, I should not think it would give you one moment's concern - and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn. I had thought you far more intelligent than this, Miss Bennet. I once heard you tell my nephew that your courage rises with every attempt to intimidate you, were you lying then or do you think my nephew inconstant in his affections?"

Elizabeth felt the hope and something like resolve grow in her chest. Could it truly be so simple? "I have not lied and I should never accuse Mr. Darcy of inconstancy." She stopped walking and turned to look at her companion. "I do love him, your ladyship. But in this instance my courage has deserted me entirely. It is most inconvenient."

"At last I know your real opinion! Very well. I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your desires or my wishes are to be denied. I came to help you and help you I shall. I hoped to find you already engaged; but, depend upon it, I will carry my point. That foolish man should have returned here immediately. Did you truly reject him?"

"I did, my lady. He proposed to me in Kent." Elizabeth was abashed.

"You may call me Aunt Catherine, we are very soon to be related. What could you have been thinking?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I believe, your…Aunt Catherine, that is a story for another day. Let us just say that neither Mr. Darcy nor myself behaved in a manner that did us credit."

"I imagine he was arrogant and you gave free reign to your tongue. It is of no consequence now of course, I shall set everything to rights."

In this manner Lady Catherine talked on, till they were at the door of the carriage, when, turning hastily round, she added, "I must take my leave of you, Miss Bennet. I shall return in two days' time with my nephew, my sister's ring and a special license. You can and must be married by special license. You may tell your mother I shall see to all the arrangements myself."

Elizabeth do little more than offer her thanks; and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to return into the house, walked quietly into it herself. She heard the carriage drive away as she proceeded up stairs. Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room, to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and rest herself.

"She was required as a matter of urgency to continue her travels," said her daughter, "She sends her regards and promises to call again in the future."

"She is a very fine-looking woman! Her calling here was prodigiously civil! For she only came, I suppose, to tell us the Collinses were well. She was on her road somewhere, as you say, and so, passing through Meryton, thought she might as well call on you. I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here; for to acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible. If Lady Catherine was successful, and Elizabeth had every reason to believe it would be so, her mother would learn the truth soon enough.

* * *

 **The content of this story is the sole property of the author. Any reproduction in whole or in part for publication is strictly prohibited...not to mention just plain rude.**


End file.
